Three Essential Lessons In Life That Driven Athletes Can Learn From Cats (The True Athletes)

  Hi folks, Years ago I read a book entitled, 'Everything I Need To Know I Learned From My Cat.' I took away two enduring lessons from these admirable creatures, one of my favorite mammals, which I still try to stand by, as follows: "It's OK to wear the same clothes every day." "Always remember to bite the hand that feeds you." I was looking around for a blog post subject this morning, both in ... Read more

Lemons Always Remind Me Of Zaid And The Ugly Duckling

  Hi folks, The problem with changing jobs is that it separates you from old friends, as your lives don't intersect so regularly anymore. I have one such friend in New Jersey, Zaid, who made my stay in Sanofi-Aventis so much more fun because of the questions he posed. Zaid is a thinker, and as a researcher I like to solve problems. Zaid would pose me puzzling biological questions all of the time, and I ... Read more

Happiness After An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

  Hi folks, I was scanning the Internet for information on life, exercise and happiness after the diagnosis and treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and there wasn't a lot. In fact there was 'bugger all.' We post-AAA people don't seem to talk a lot about our lives after this major change. It appears that statistical data are accumulating on our life expectancy or lack of it, frequency of ... Read more

A Long Blog Post For Benjamin (Heartosaurus) On Flexibility As He Ages

Hi folks, Today my workout will consist of a long walk enjoying an exploration of the littoral zone (shoreline) ecology of this region of Spain. It is limited in scope because the Mediterranean Sea has very shallow tides due to flow constraints in the Strait of Gibraltar, but there is still a rich sea life to be seen. As I always do when I walk along a coastal shoreline, I'll be musing about my experiences as ... Read more

Find Your Subtle Weaknesses To Improve Your Life And Your Sport

  Hi folks, It's pretty easy to discover what you REALLY cannot do well, both mentally and physically, as long as you give it a serious attempt. However, it can be the more subtle weaknesses that take the edge off of your fun and athletic skill. For instance, a physical therapist told me many years ago that I have weak adductor muscles in my legs. I work on them, carefully, all the time using the weight ... Read more

Swimming Is Helping My Running Due To Improved Lat Involvement And Conditioning Thanks To Jack Heggie

  Hi folks, I recently posted on the issue of my dramatically improved swim times in the pool as a result of Rick Fee's encouragement to focus more on conditioning than technique, and my coach indicating how I might engage my lat (Latissimus dorsi) muscles more effectively. Interestingly, I now feel that this is paying dividends for running. I suspect that the benefits derive from both greater ... Read more

Ten Key Pieces Of Exercise And Training Advice From FitOldDog

  Hi folks, I was riding the bus from Alicante to Torre Vieja on the east coast of Spain the other day and I espied the 'Chez Ollie.' I prefer to think of it as a salt farm, where salt is harvested from the sea as it has been done for hundreds if not thousands of years. I admire this kind of human invention, with local resources being exploited to create a whole industry. I then started to muse as the ... Read more

Pleasures And Risks Of Picking Up Your Pace For Ironman Swim T1 Bike T2 And Run

  Hi folks, As a triathlete I spend a lot of time working to increase my endurance and pace, whilst both come with some risks and lots of enjoyment. This will be brief as I'm sitting in Heathrow Airport awaiting my flight. Swim: The key to improving pace in the swim is some technique, lots of conditioning, some more technique, lots more conditioning, and a good coach. The only real risks are ... Read more

Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.